Shying Away
by WhatAboutThoseChickenNuggets
Summary: Pre-Series. Niles and C.C. get bored at one of Maxwell Sheffield's after parties.


It was another after party of one of Mr. Sheffield's premieres. Niles was insanely bored. There was never anything for him to do. He did not know anybody, he wasn't famous, and it just made him depressed. He was ordering another drink, when he saw a certain brunette. C.C. Babcock was leaning against the wall with a drink in her hand. She seemed to have the same expression as he did all night. He got his drink and walked over to her. As much as he hated her, she did provide him with entertainment. Something he definitely needed right now. She had a scowl on her face.

"What do you want?" C.C. sneered. Niles just put a smirk on his face.

"Well, I couldn't help but see how bored you looked," Niles said. C.C.'s eyes widened.

"How'd you know I was bored?" She asked.

"Because I've been all night," he answered. He suddenly felt impulsive as he looked around him. God, he wished he was somewhere else. "How about you and I go somewhere else?"

C.C. looked at him like he just murdered someone for a second. Then, she seemed to relax. "Fine Butler Boy, but what's in it for me?"

"Dancing and I'll pay for your drinks." Niles offered. C.C. gave him a smile.

"Sounds good to me," She said, placing her drink on a nearby table. She grabbed his hand and headed out the exit.

-time skip-

They went to a nearby nightclub. It was easy to get in when C.C. mentioned her last name. He was afraid for a second that she would pull something like saying he wasn't with her and he'd be stuck outside. She didn't do that and he breathed a sigh of relief internally. When they got inside, she immediately went to the bar. As promised, he paid for her drink and they headed out to the dance floor. Suddenly, C.C.'s favorite song at the time starting playing. Aha's Take On Me. She grabbed Niles' hand for the second time that night and made him dance with her. She looked almost giddy. He wasn't used to this from her.

"I love this song. Too bad I have to dance to it with you," C.C. said. It was really more of a shout because of the music blaring. He was kind of in a trance. Here he was, with this gorgeous woman. He didn't admit that to her as he usually made fun of her body. He rarely admitted that to himself, but this time was different. She had grabbed his hand a few times and was dancing with him. It was suddenly getting hot in that club.

"Well, I have to have fun myself sometimes," Niles said. She wrapped her arms around his neck. C.C. was suddenly feeling impulsive too. Probably because she had more than her fair share of alcohol.

She didn't say anything back. He decided just to dance with her and listen to the was just smiling at her and she was smiling back at him too. The song ended and she pulled apart from him. They both missed the contact even though they thought the other didn't. He paid for another one of her drinks and they danced to a few more songs before calling it a night. Niles and C.C. walked out of the club side by side. She seemed to shiver a little bit.

"You knew that it was the middle of November," Niles told her.

"Yeah, Yeah. But I wasn't expecting to leave the party to go with you to a nightclub," C.C. snapped. He held his hands up in fake defense.

"You didn't have to go, you know," He said. She stopped walking and looked at him. He took off his coat and handed it to her. "Maybe this will make up for it." He told her when he held it out to her. She took it and put it on.

"You're lucky I'm freezing," She said and they continued their walk. He wasn't sure where they were headed. He was sure that he had to pick up Sara and Maxwell Sheffield at some point because he was their designated driver. He was still sober as he only had one drink and that was at the after party.

"Where are we headed?" He asked bluntly. She furrowed her eyebrows and her voice came out a little soft,

"I was hoping...that...um...you would maybe walk e me to my apartment?"

Outside he smirked, but inside his heart fluttered. He had no idea why and decided to ignore it.

"Are you running late to your coven meeting?" He teased. She gave him an annoyed look. "Okay, I'll take you there. The last thing I need is you hexing me."

-time skip to outside C.C.'s apartment-

He walked her up to the door of her apartment. It was bigger than he expected since she was just a secretary. ' _Oh, I almost forgot, she's a Babcock,'_ he thought to himself. She opened the door and was about to head inside.

"I guess this is goodbye for tonight," Niles said. Deep down inside, maybe in their subconcious, neither of them wanted it to be goodnight. The only thing they knew was that it felt like something was missing in this goodbye. This resulted in them staring at each other for a few seconds in silence.

"I guess it is," She said. They looked at each other in more silence. Expecting the other to do something, but neither of them did.

"Well, I need to go pick up Mr. and Mrs. Sheffield. Bye," He told her and he turned away. C.C. watched him walk down the hallway and go down to the elevator. Why did she feel like she should've told him to stay?

He eventually got back to the theater. Luckily, the married couple was still inside. He looked at his watch. 3am. He went inside and got them. Both were stumbling when he found them.

"Where did you go Old Man, I wanted you to meet someone," Maxwell said with a hiccup.

"Oh I was around," Niles lied, "I'm surprised you remembered I was here considering your state."

Maxwell and Sara laughed as they got inside the limo.

"Did you enjoy yourselves?" Niles asked them as if they were children. Sara and Max nodded.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" Sara asked the butler. A playful smirk appeared on his face.

"Oh, I had a blast."


End file.
